


Bloom

by FanFicReader01



Category: Poets of the Fall
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Flowers, Fluff, Love at First Sight, M/M, Sappy, flower symbolism, fun fact i know shit about flowers so this fic will be unrealistic af, marko is socially awkward like the writer, writer being pretentious about flowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 09:05:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17040830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanFicReader01/pseuds/FanFicReader01
Summary: (Yeah I bloom) I bloom just for you(I bloom) just for you~ Bloom, Troye Sivan





	Bloom

Marko Saaresto deemed himself to be an ordinary man.

An ordinary man with a boring life in a boring little town with boring quiet people much like himself.

However, all that quietness stood in a stark contrast with the shop he worked in: the local flower shop.

All colours of the rainbow sang and laughed in unison in that place.

Despite the noticeable absence of actual clients -who wants flowers nowadays anyway?- Marko felt alive and happy among his flowers.

He didn’t intend on closing the shop any soon even if not many people would visit. No, the flower shop was here to stay with him!

 

 

***

 

That flower shop.

Marko’s little safe haven. After a long day of work (he eventually had to run some side jobs else he wouldn’t make it), the florist could always return to _his_ flower shop.

The flowers would greet him with their bright, popping colours. He could hear their laughter or their musings and Marko always listened closely. You never know what interesting things they might tell you!

 “People deem me crazy. Maybe I am. I mean, who talks to a plant, huh?”

Marko rearranged some pots so a new set of  _pale peach roses_ could bathe in the afternoon sun.

 “I probably am. I still haven’t found a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend, as is my case more likely. But who would fall in love with a florist like me? Too shy to talk with strangers. Too attached to his flower garden to actually sell his wares?”

Eventually Marko got behind the counter to arrange a new bouquet for one of his wealthier clients.

 

“ _Tiger lilies_ ,” Marko muttered to himself. To confirm the client’s wealth and pride. The bright orange, the sharp leaves. It was fitting like a hand-tailored suit.

 

***

 

The evening had set and Marko prepared himself for bed. He stood in the bathroom, staring at his naked reflection in the mirror. Was it just his exhaustion of the day or were there truly more flower buds on his skin? His hands reached for his back and shoulders. Yes.

He turned around, tried to look again. Definitely more buds on his shoulders now. Luckily they didn’t hurt but emotionally they kind of did.

 It was a grim reminder that he hadn’t found the right partner yet.

 

The only  flowers that had ever bloomed out of him were the sad, _yellow Adonis_ flowers. Every so often his spine would magically sprout a large _angelica_ that would bloom for a few months before withering, slowly retracting back into his skin. The next morning his bed would be covered in dead leaves.

Somehow Marko compared it to being with a false lover who would be gone by dawn without saying a word.

 One day, Marko got so sad about it, he cried a whole amaranthus caudatus. The deep red petals almost looked like droplets of blood.

Marko might as well have cried his darn heart out then but that didn’t happen.

 

***

 

The following morning, Marko woke up by the consistent ringing of the bell. No way, there were actually clients today? At this hour?

Nervous but also excited and curious, Marko quickly dressed himself as far as quick could go. He stumbled and fumbled with the buttons of his shirt and his zipper decided to not work properly.

 “I’m coming! Hold on!” he yelled as he trampled down the stairs.

As expected, there was someone standing behind the door of the flower shop.

With a wide swing the florist opened his shop to the stranger. A bald man with a remarkable mohawk dyed in a purple that reminded Marko of gloxinias.

 The stranger head black glasses. He wore a knitted scarf, a comfortable hoodie and grey jeans. His boots were remarkable and must be sturdy when walking in them.

 “Good morning!” Marko exclaimed, trying to sound excited. “How may I help you?”

“If you don’t mind, I’m just looking around,” the stranger smiled.  

 Marko nodded and gave the possible customer some space. He quickly hid behind the counter and a wall of thorn less roses.

Through the openings of the many flowers now obscuring his view, Marko quietly watched the other man roam freely in his shop.

 

“So, this shop is yours, right?”

 “Yep.”

“Then your name must be Marko, as in the name of the shop.”

 “Yeah. I know I should’ve come up with a more witty name,” Marko chuckled nervously. Before he could swallow his words, he blurted out: “And what’s your name?”

 “I’m Jani. Jani Snellman, remember the name.” All of a sudden the other man stood in front of the counter, staring at Marko. There was a large smile plastered on Jani’s face.

It made the florist gulp. Suddenly Jani’s eyes were too visible. Oh, what a lovely blue.

 “R-really?” Marko stammered confused and secretly awestruck. Jani nodded.

 “Yes! I’m a musician. That’s why I’m actually in this town. I play in the local pub tonight,” Jani replied. He then proceeded to fish something out of his back pocket. A wrinkled little A4 flyer.

 “Never heard of the band before,” Marko commented with a frown.

“Of course not. We’re new here! Hope to make a name for ourselves, though!” Jani immediately said.

Not sure how to handle this _handsome_ stranger, Marko entered his customer-mode.

 “So, were there any flowers to your liking? Any bouquet you might like?”

“Uhm.. Well,” Jani suddenly looked clueless as if he forgot the reason he actually strolled into the florist’s shop.

 “Maybe I can recommend you something!” Marko quickly suggested.

“That’d be lovely”, Jani smiled. This time it wasn’t a smirk, it seemed sincere and it made Marko’s lonely heart flutter briefly.

 

“Personally I think these azaleas really match with your dominant black colour scheme of clothing.”

 “Hm, hm, interesting. But what about these sweet peas?”

“What about it? I-, I mean of course! If those are the ones you want!”

 “I think the pink suits your blush,” Jani _winked_ and again Marko was baffled. Was this man flirting? Or did he read Jani wrong? After all, they just met so he couldn’t know what the musician’s real intentions could be.

Marko finally made a small bouquet of the sweet peas before the two men said their goodbyes.

 “Don’t forget to watch me play tonight at your pub!” and then Jani vanished.

He stepped back into the world of the other people. The place Marko wished he could call  his home as well but here he was, among his flowers.

 

***

 

The florist had gone through hundreds of scenarios before he finally stood in the door entrance of the inn. He barely visited that place. Some eyes were set on him when he entered but once he found a place behind the counter, people kept to themselves again. Thank god.

Marko’s eyes finally got used to the dark and only now did he notice the small podium in the corner of the café. A small round wooden floor. The instruments were already resting there, waiting to be played. No Jani in sight however. Somehow that made Marko a bit sad but also relieved so he didn’t have to talk to the musician.

 

Finally the band appeared and quickly tuned their instruments. Marko held his glass tightly as he watched Jani. Apparently he was the bassist of the band. He wore a black tank top with the same scarf from a few hours ago. Marko noticed the unopened flower buds on the bassist’s upper arms. His shoulders were partly adorned with _yellow roses_. He looked beautiful, almost making Marko jealous of the lack of blooming flowers on his own body.

When Jani smiled at him, the florist weakly  smiled back.

After a short introduction and applause, the band started to play and Marko got carried away by the sounds they made.

Before he knew it, the night was over and the music was still ringing in the back of his mind and then all of a sudden Jani stood in front of him.

 

Marko visibly gulped. “Hi,” Jani cheerfully said. The yellow of the flowers were popping together with the man’s smile.

 “Oh, h-hey.”

“I’m glad you came. Did you like it?”

 “Yeah, yeah! The music is so… pretty,” Marko mumbled, trying to avoid eye-contact with the handsome musician.

 “Great you enjoyed it! Mind going for a drink now?”

“Sure.”

Together they sat at the bar. Jani ordered the drinks and Marko couldn’t refuse.

 “These are on me,” the musician grinned before handing one glass of beer to the florist.

 

***

 

Marko’s tongue loosened up after a few more beers. “You have lovely colours.”

 “You mean the roses?”

“Not only the roses. Your hair, your s-skin. Everything seems to flourish about you.”

 “Whoa, I-, I’m honoured, Marko.” Jani blushed.

He brushed over his upper arm and Marko was sure he could see one of the flower buds open slightly. Even if it was only a tiny bit.

Jani’s eyes caught him staring and Marko felt the alcohol cool down. He felt more sober and awkward. again. “I-, I’m sorry.”

 “It’s alright. I take it all as a compliment.” Jani patted the other man on the shoulder.

“What about you, Marko? You got any flower growth?”

 “Not really. J-just some adonis. Nothing special.”

“Oh, that’s okay. But hey, maybe one day new flowers will bloom out of you!”

 

Luckily the talk didn’t go further than that. Marko focused the topic on Jani’s career as a musician. Not only as distraction of his own boring life but also as a genuine interest in the man’s life.

Too bad the night had to end sooner than expected and Jani had to leave. The sudden fear struck Marko that he’d never see this guy again.

 “Everything alright?” Jani waved his hand in front of Marko’s eyes who must’ve looked spaced out.

“Uhu.”

 “Good. I got you something,” Jani said happily. He magically popped out a flower from behind his back. It was a single _gardenia_. Beautiful white and soft looking petals now graced Marko’s stretched out hand. Marko felt awe and suddenly he remembered the flower’s special meaning: secret love.

 “For me?”

“Yes, for you! I guess it’s even more fitting now. Also, a florist like you must like flowers, right?”

 “I really do!” Marko smiled, his heart beating faster than ever.

“Well, I see you around, I guess?”

 “You leaving town?” the florist quickly asked, already regretting being so intrusive.

“Yep. My band needs me somewhere else. We need to travel, Marko. Like seed getting carried by the wind and the bees.”

Marko silently nodded. He must’ve looked sad because then Jani stepped into more of Marko’s personal space -not that Marko actually minded- and _hugged_ the florist.

 “Hey, don’t be sad! I’ll come back next year. Or sooner. I’ll promise!”

 

***

 

Marko couldn’t sleep that night. The gardenia laid next to him on the night stand.

The man kept wondering if this flower held the actual meaning it carried. Just to be sure, Marko even looked up the title. But as he already knew, it meant ‘secret love’ or ‘you’re lovely’.

Marko grabbed his chest. Sometimes it felt like sharp thorns of roses sprouted in and outward his heart, making him ache and bleed.

 Jani could not have possibly chosen _that_ flower in specific, right? It must’ve been coincidence. That guy was a musician, not a florist like Marko. The tragic romantic doubted if other florists would even know the symbolic meaning of the flowers they kept.

 

The next morning some of the flower buds on his skin had fallen off. Others looked withered and dried out. Marko visited the pub but of course there were no trails of Jani anymore.

 “Do you know what town they play in next time?” he asked the innholder.

“Nope. Maybe there’s info on one of them fliers?”

 

***

 

“Are all those flowers yours?” an old lady stared at the florist who occupied a whole train seat for only himself and a few vases full with white _stephanotis_ and _hoary stock_.

 “Yes. My flowers need me,” Marko replied in all seriousness. “Even if I have to be away from my shop for a few days.”

 “I see. They must be like your children,” the woman chuckled and Marko nodded.

He sighed and stared out of the window when the train finally got in motion. He couldn’t believe it. He was leaving his trustworthy hometown and safe haven of the shop behind only to chase after a musician he met a few days ago. It was truly ridiculous.

 

***

 

He found Jani in a small city. The band would play in three places there.

At first, Marko was afraid Jani might be weirded out to see him at the gig itself but that was far from what happened. Instead, Jani jumped off the podium after the show to talk with the florist.

 “What a delight to see you here!”

“Yea, I missed you. Y-your _music_ , I mean!” Marko ‘corrected’ himself. Jani only laughed out loud.

 “You can just say you missed me.”

 

Somehow Jani ended up in Marko’s hotel room. Surprised by the flowers, Jani gawked at them. They were all scattered over the bedroom and income hall.

 “Couldn’t leave your beloved flowers alone, either?” Jani grinned.

“Very impressive collection you brought with you. I like these stephanotis. Didn’t know you liked to travel!”

 “Oh well,” Marko started.

“Or is it just because you wanted to see me?”

The florist observed the musician. Was Jani implying he also knew about the meaning of some flowers or was he bluffing? Or maybe just making fun of Marko? The florist wanted to be sure.

 “You’re a flower fan too, aren’t you.”

“Yep. I like flowers that tell something about people. I think you can tell a lot about a person, just by looking what flowers they pick.”

Marko felt stunned. It was like those words could’ve rolled out of his own mouth.

Now Jani turned to the florist who sat on the bed. “So, tell me, Marko. I don’t want to sound curious but fuck, I am. Why you cover up like that? I mean it’s summer!”

 “I just don’t feel like wearing t-shirts or tank tops like you,” Marko came up with a lame reply.

“Are you hiding a six-pack?” Jani joked, making the florist red like a tomato.

 “I’m sorry, that was insensitive. I won’t bring it up again.”

“It’s alright. It’s just that… I don’t have much flower growth as I already mentioned before. And- and all my blossoms are kind of dead anyway. Or closed for that matter. So I don’t want people to see my pale, empty skin.”

 Marko surprised himself by confessing so much to Jani. It was followed by an uneasy silence.

 

Jani eventually broke the barriers anew. He hugged Marko, no he even cradled him and the florist wondered what he did to deserve such kindness.

 “Come on, no need to cry, alright?”

Marko nodded but started sobbing, probably making a mess of the other man’s shirt.

 “You know, my mom always told me that the most mesmerizing flowers come, from those blossoms that sleep the longest.”

There were not many words shared between them afterward and somehow Marko managed to fall asleep against Jani’s chest.

 

***

 

Jani awoke first. Suddenly the room looked rosier and lighter than last night. He laid in an unfamiliar bed and when he looked next to him, he noticed another man.

A smile crept onto his face when he remembered who it was: the cute florist he met a few days ago.

More aware of his surrounding, the musician was taken aback by surprise of what had happened. The whole room seemed to be filled with _new_ flowers. _Deep red_ and _white carnations_ made the white of the bedroom get sprinkled in soft hues of pink.

 Then Jani looked back at Marko who was still sleeping. A part of his shirt was lifted up by the amount of blooming flowers sprouting from the florist’s back.

 All these new flowers in bloom made Jani sneeze.

 

The loud sound startled Marko who then abruptly woke up. His eyes were a bit watery with the haze of sleep still in them. Once realizing Jani had been sharing the bed with him, he shuffled underneath the blankets and distanced himself from the musician. Jani cackled amused.

 “Morning, sunshine,” the man casually greeted the confused florist.

“Wh-what are you still doing here?”

 “Didn’t want to leave suddenly. That’s impolite. But shouldn’t you ask yourself: what are all these flowers doing here?!”

 “They are the stephana-” Marko stopped midsentence when he finally noticed the overwhelming smell of the carnations.

After that realization, came another. Marko, ridden of shame and struck by excited curiosity, took off his shirt to be met with his now blooming flowers. It was a total new experience for him.

 Jani wished he could’ve filmed the moment. The unapologetic cry of joy, the tears and the brightest smile of the florist only added to the already wonderful moment this late morning.

 

“I’m in bloom, Jani! Finally! I thought the blossoms would be forever closed but they aren’t!” Marko grabbed the musician by the shoulders.

He slowly let go, realizing his grip might be too strong. Jani, didn’t seem to be fazed by it. The florist’s eyes trailed down to study the other man’s body.

 “Y-you’ve grown carnations as well!”

Now it was Jani’s turn to be surprised again. Marko was right. New flowers were flourishing from his upper arms and he even spotted some young blossoms on his thighs.

 

After their initial excitement, their hearts beat slower again and their breath became even once more.

 “Well, florist. Tell me what those flowers say about you,” Jani dared.

“Uhm… I think you know very well what they mean,” Marko stammered, his usual shy part kicking in.

 “ _No, no, no._ I want _you_ to tell _me_. You’re the specialist here after all!”

Marko started to blush heavily. “A-as far as I know, carnations stand often for love. A-and admiration.”

 “Interesting indeed,” Jani muttered as if surprised and in deep thought.

“So now you know what those flowers say about me,” Marko sighed.

 “The feelings are apparently mutual,” Jani smiled, nudging at his own flowers. He opened his arms as a welcoming gesture and Marko didn’t have to hesitate anymore before he tightly hugged the musician.

They laid in the bed together for a long time. Their bodies almost locked together while they let the scent of the fresh flowers be their incense.

For a moment Marko thought he might have found heaven on earth.  

**Author's Note:**

> Meaning behind the flowers mentioned :P
> 
> pale peach roses: grace, joy  
> Tiger lilies wealth, pride  
> yellow Adonis: sad memories  
> angelica: inspiration, magic  
> amaranthus caudatus: love-lies-bleeding: hopeless, not heartless  
> gloxinias: love at first sight  
> thorn less roses: love at first sight  
> azaleas: take care of yourself for me, temperance, fragile passion, Chinese symbol of womanhood   
> sweet peas: goodbye, departure, blissful pleasure,t hank you for a lovely time  
> gardenia: you’re lovely, secret love  
> yellow roses: joy, friendship   
> stephanotis : desire to travel, happiness in marriage  
> hoary stock: Bonds of Affection; Promptness; You'll Always Be Beautiful to Me s   
> red carnation- My Heart Aches for You; Admiration  
> white carnation- Sweet and Lovely; Innocence; Pure Love; Woman's Good Luck Gift
> 
> Bless tumblr for all these aus of which one prompt was: when a person falls in love, the flower buds on them begin to bloom.   
> This is, ofc, much less sad than the Hanahaki disease au (which i should write about too one day lol)


End file.
